Sharing God's Living Word

When we gather for Mass, one of the main things we are asked to do is listen to God's living word.

In proclaiming the word of God from Sacred Scripture, readers excercise their responsibility in mediating the presence of Christ. God speaks to the assembly through them, and the impact of God's message will depend significantly on their conviction, their preparation and their delivery.

The richness in the quantity and in the variety of readings in the Lectionary challenges those who are called to proclaim the Scriptures at Mass. Each of the individual sacred authors reflected on the meaning of God's action in history from their own perspective. They employed various literary forms to convey the message of salvation, ranging, for example, from narratives and the poetry of the psalms to prophetic oracles and parables, from theological expositions to apocalyptic visions.

Celebrating the Mass 41:42

It is important for the Reader to read clearly and at a reasonable pace so that the assembly can hear every word. It might seem slow to the Reader but be just right for the assembly. It also depends on the sound and hearing loop systems we have in both our parishes.

After each reading, it is important to have a little pause so that the assembly can listen with their heart, absorbing what God is saying to them, and not just their ears. As Readers grow in confidence and experience they become more expert at helping people to listen.

The Reader(s) proclaims the First and Second Readings and the Prayers of the Faithful. If the Psalm is not sung, the Reader will also proclaim the Psalm between the readings. The Gospel is proclaimed by the Deacon or Priest.

We have readers of various ages. Children lead us on the second Sunday of the month in both parishes. Our more confident youngsters (post Confirmation) are encoouraged to join the adult rota for the other Sundays and Masses.

Contact      Shirley McClean at Sacred Heart         peterandshirley@btinternet.com

or                 Enid Brown at St Pius Xth

• Read the Reading several days before proclaiming it at Mass.
• Understanding the Reading:Ask God in prayer about what the reading is saying to us. What is important in the passage for people to know about? It might help to read the Bible either side of the passage.
• Practising the Proclamation: Practice reading out loud; get used to any unusual words and say them with confidence, so that when you come to read it, it will sound more like something you went to tell people about than sound like you are reading from a book.
• Spend time in Prayer: Listen to what you hear God saying in the reading. Pray for the people who are going to be listening to the word of God that you will procalim to them.
• Both our parishes come together for local training days. There are also Diocesan trainings that our readers are encouraged to attend.